Buildings & Hours
The library is open to the public Monday through Thursday 8:30am – 7:00pm and Friday 8:30am – 5:00pm. After 7:00pm on weekdays and all day on weekends, a Yale ID card is required to enter the building. To access the exhibits and collections after public hours, please contact art.library@yale.edu to schedule an appointment or call the front desk (203-432-2645) for assistance.
After 6:00 p.m., a Yale ID card or a library-issued pass is required to enter the library. Before 6:00 p.m., the library is open to the public. See the library hours section above for the full hours of operation.
Special note for tours: Only Yale-led tours are allowed to enter the building.
The Beinecke Library is open to all Yale University students and faculty, and visiting researchers whose work requires use of its special collections. You will need to bring appropriate photo ID the first time you register. Consult the library's closed collection schedule before planning your visit.
The reading room is open Monday, 10 a.m. – 7 p.m., Tuesday-Thursday, 9 a.m. – 7 p.m., and Friday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Please be prepared to secure most of your belongings in a Beinecke locker, as limited amounts of material are permitted in the reading room.
Beinecke is a non-circulating, closed stack library. Paging is done by library staff during business hours.
For more information, please see Planning Your Research Visit and consult the Reading Room Policies prior to visiting the library.
The exhibition spaces are open Monday, 10 a.m. – 7 a.m., Tuesday-Thursday, 9 a.m. – 7 p.m., Friday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., and Saturday, 12 p.m. – 5 p.m. All exhibitions are free and open to the public.
Access to the Classics Library is restricted to current Yale faculty, students, and staff, and entry requires a Yale ID. All Classics Library materials are non-circulating.
Visitors not affiliated with Yale University are required to sign into the Divinity Library guest book, located next to the Circulation Desk.
During non-business hours (i.e., weekdays after 6:30 pm and weekends) entry into the Divinity School building, and hence the library, requires card-swipe access with an active Yale University ID Card. The ID cards of students, faculty and staff of the Divinity School are automatically set up for access to the building. Other Yale students, faculty, and staff, as well as visiting researchers with an active Yale NetID may request access to the Library during non-business hours by contacting the Library Director, Stephen Crocco (stephen.crocco@yale.edu).
Entry requires card-swipe access with an active Yale University ID card, except during public events. The ID cards of all Yale students, faculty, and staff are automatically set up for access. Special arrangements can be made for visiting scholars.
The Law Library is open to all members of the Yale community, including alumni and alumnae. Everyone entering the library will be asked to show a valid Yale University identification card or a Law Library pass. The Law Library does not honor Yale University Library desk passes or stacks passes.
The Library's facilities are also available to faculty and students from member institutions of Research Libraries Group (RLG) and New England Law Libraries Consortium (NELLCO) upon presentation of a valid identification card from the home institution. Please apply for a pass at the Circulation Desk.
Anyone wishing to use the government documents collection may request access.
Members of the Bar and scholars needing access to the library's unique collections may apply for special privileges passes by emailing Julian Aiken.
Yale Law students should obtain a current Law School validation sticker from the Registrar's office.
For more information, please consult the complete privileges policies.
Open Monday 9:30 am – 4:45 pm and Tuesday through Friday 8:30 a.m. - 4:45 pm The Library is closed on University holidays. The exhibition gallery is open when exhibitions are on view Wednesdays 2-4:30 pm and other times by appointment.
The Lewis Walpole Library is a non-circulating, closed-stack library. Rare books, manuscripts, prints, and drawings may be consulted only in the Reading Room. Visitors are encouraged to view the Reader Guidelines before visiting the library.
The Mathematics Library is open to the public.
The Medical Library is open to the public. Visitors without a Yale ID card must sign in at the guard station in the rotunda.
Sterling Library
Special note for tours: Only Yale-led tours are allowed to enter the building.
After 6:00 p.m., a Yale ID card or a library-issued pass is required to enter the building. Before 6:00 p.m., the library is open to the public. See the library hours section above for the full hours of operation.
A library-issued stacks pass, borrowing pass, or a current Yale ID is required to enter the stacks in SML.
Admission to the Yale Center for British Art is always free. This open-stack, non-circulating library is open to the public. Patrons are asked to sign in at the desk.